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East Tennessee
Claiborne County Hunting
Claiborne County WMAs and public ground, harvest by season, the 2026-27 dates and limits, and local meat processors and shops.
Photo: HeyRocker (CC BY 2.0)
Claiborne County sits in East Tennessee with 435 square miles of land and 7 square miles of water, and its 2025-26 deer check-in of 1,502 put it 45th in the state. The harvest density was close to 3.5 deer for each square mile. It accounted for 1.0% of the statewide deer harvest.
Public areas for Claiborne County hunters
Claiborne County holds 3 listed public areas, with 8 others inside a 45 mile radius. Orange pins mark areas inside the county.
North Cumberland WMA
205,000 acres with deer, turkey, small game, bear, elk on the list.
Otey Mills Refuge (North Cumberland WMA)
Hunted for deer, turkey, small game, bear on the list.
Chuck Swan State Forest & WMA
Located in Union County and Campbell County, around 19 miles from mid-county. 24,705 acres.
Kyles Ford WMA
Located in Hancock County and Hawkins County, around 35 miles from mid-county. 1,000 acres.
Henderson Island Refuge
Located in Jefferson County, around 38 miles from mid-county. 525 acres.
Rankin WMA
Located in Cocke County and Hamblen County, around 38 miles from mid-county. 1,975 acres.
Claiborne County deer harvest by season
Deer check-ins went from 1,415 in 2024-25 to 1,502 in 2025-26, a 6% rise. Over ten seasons the county averaged 1,327 deer a year. High mark: 1,502 in 2025-26. Low mark: 1,203 in 2017-18. TWRA counts 170 of those deer as WMA harvest. In 2026 spring, 342 turkeys came out of the county (41st in Tennessee). Black bear harvest in 2025-26: 5.
Source: TWRA Hunter’s Toolbox harvest reports, county totals including WMA harvest. Deer seasons run July 1 to June 30. Recent seasons can still be revised slightly by TWRA.
Open seasons for Claiborne County
Bear hunting here falls under zone BHZ4 and Transitional. The elk hunt reaches Claiborne County. Claiborne County is open to licensed baiting on private land.
- Deer
- Turkey
- Ducks
- Waterfowl
- Canada goose
- White-fronted goose
- Brant
- Light geese
- Dove
- Woodcock
- Snipe
- Rails (virginia, sora)
- Gallinule and moorhen
- Crow
- Squirrel
- Rabbit
- Quail
- Grouse
- RaccoonYear-round
- Opossum
- CoyoteYear-round
- Bobcat
- Bear
- Elk
- Feral hogYear-round
TWRA 2026-27 guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Claiborne County deer, turkey and bear rules
Unit 4 deer limits
A hunter can take 4 antlerless deer in archery, then 2 each in the youth, muzzleloader and straight-wall, and gun seasons. Moving to another county in the unit gives no extra tags. Antlered deer: 2 per season statewide, 1 per day.
2026-27 deer dates for Claiborne County
2026-27 schedule: bows Sep 26, muzzleloaders Nov 7 to Nov 20, 2026, rifles and shotguns Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027, same as the rest of Tennessee.
Bait sites in Claiborne County
Not a CWD county, so private land baiting is open with the bait license. Keep it scattered, at one site per 5 acres spaced 500 yards.
Fall gobbler hunting, Claiborne County
Fall hunting is allowed here: one male turkey, taken by bow during deer archery or by shotgun Oct 17 to 30, 2026.
Black bear in Claiborne County
Bear zone BHZ4 includes Anderson (west of I-75, north of Old Lake City Hwy and Dutch Valley Rd), Campbell (north of Hwy 63, west of I-75), Claiborne (west of 25E, north of Hwy 63), Cumberland, Fentress, Morgan, Overton (east of Hwy 111), Pickett, Putnam (east of Hwy 111), Scott, Van Buren (east of Hwy 111), White (east of Hwy 111). Also Transitional.
Elk in Claiborne County
One of the five counties where quota elk hunting is allowed on private land with permission, plus the North Cumberland WMA zones.
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 28, 2026. Read the guide.
Claiborne County shooting hours this week
The window for big and small game is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30. Turkeys and migratory birds close at sunset itself.
Times calculated for the center of Claiborne County in Eastern time. Turkey and migratory bird hunting ends at sunset. Shooting hours for every county.
Hunting services around Claiborne County
Ordered by county: Claiborne first, then its neighbors.
Listings come from TWRA, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, state permit lists and business pages. Call before you drive; seasonal hours vary.
Claiborne County hunting events
2 upcoming events on file (October 2026 check).
Upcoming
| Date | Event | Type | Where | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 | Twin Rivers Coon Club Double Header Nite Hunt | Coon hunt | Tazewell, Claiborne County | Event details |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Twin Rivers Coon Club Double Header Nite Hunt | Coon hunt | Tazewell, Claiborne County | Event details |
Before you burn in Claiborne County
The Tennessee burn ban page shows Claiborne County today.
- Permit season: October 15 through May 15 each year (TCA 39-14-306(a)(1)); required for open-air fires within 500 feet of any forest, grassland or woodland.
- Who declares bans: Under TCA 39-14-306(b), the Commissioner of Agriculture, in consultation with the State Forester and at the request of county mayors, issues county burn bans.
- Warming fires: TWRA wildlife management areas: Rule 1660-01-14-.13(5)(i) says 'No warming, camping or any type fire shall be allowed except at designated camping areas.
Gun ranges in and around Claiborne County
Nothing is listed within the county line; the nearest ones are shown with miles from the county center.
Open to the public, with rifle, pistol, plus shotgun.
Open to the public, with trap and shotgun.
Hunt the counties next to Claiborne County
Towns in Claiborne County: Hunting near Tazewell.
If you fish too, see Claiborne County fishing spots.
There are 4 counties on the Claiborne County line; 0 checked more deer than it did.
Questions about hunting Claiborne County
What are the bait rules in Claiborne County?
Yes, on private land with the Deer Bait Privilege License ($50 resident). Baiting is still not allowed on WMAs.
Is Claiborne County in the CWD zone?
It is neither CWD-positive nor in the management zone.
Can I hunt bear in Claiborne County?
It is open as part of BHZ4. Check that zone for season dates and hound rules.
Is there a fall turkey season in Claiborne County?
Yes. Fall archery follows the deer archery dates and fall shotgun runs Oct 17 to 30, 2026, with a limit of one male turkey.
Where can I drop off a deer in Claiborne County?
Options close by include Down Home Processing Inc, Cunningham Slaughter House and Helms Custom Slaughtering.
How early can I shoot in Claiborne County?
From a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset for most game; the weekly table above has the exact times.
How many deer were checked in Claiborne County?
Hunters reported 1,502 deer in Claiborne County in 2025-26, ranking 45th of 95 counties.
Where can I hunt public land in Claiborne County?
Inside the county: North Cumberland WMA, Ed Carter Unit, North Cumberland WMA and Otey Mills Refuge (North Cumberland WMA). Just beyond the line you will find Chuck Swan State Forest & WMA, Buffalo Springs WMA and Cove Creek WMA.
What unit sets the deer limits for Claiborne County?
Unit 4 covers the county for 2026-27. A hunter can take 4 antlerless deer in archery, then 2 each in the youth, muzzleloader and straight-wall, and gun seasons. Moving to another county in the unit gives no extra tags.
Getting ready to hunt Claiborne County
Check the 2026-27 TWRA guide and each area listing before you hunt in Claiborne County.
Other photos on this page: Kaldari (Public domain); Maslowski, Steve, USFWS (Public domain); USDAgov (Public domain); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0); GlacierNPS (Public domain).